Improvement in document-stitchers



c. 'c. E. VAN A LSTINE.

Dncument-Siitchers.

UNITED STA ES PATENT OFFIC GORNELIUS;

VAN: A 'QF- TE .SQN;. NEW; JERSEY.-

IMPROVEMENT IN DOCUMENT-STITCHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,302, dated August 18, 1874; application filed August 8, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS G. E. VAN ALs'rINE, of the city of Patersomin the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Docum ent-Stitchers and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and substantial implement for piercing papers and documents, and inserting a tape or cord therein for the purpose of fastening or binding the same together. It consists in a piercer or lancet having a round or oblong eye-hole, slot, or notch near its point, or at a suitable distance from its point, through or over which to pass the tape or cord; in a spring for stripping the paper, after being pierced, off the lancet, and thereby forming a loop in the tape or cord above the paper; and in other mechanism, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The handles or means for operating my device may be iii any suitable form, as that of pliers, with single, double, or box joint, and straight or bowed nose, or in the form of a U or V spring.

a is the lancet or piercer. It may be made flat or oval, as desired, with its edges sharpened. Its lower end is firmly secured to the arm or jaw 1). Its upper end is pointed and sharp, and is provided with the eye 0 for the 2 reception of the binding material, tape, or cord. 1 The upper side of this eye is made thiokerthan the under side, to facilitate the passage of the tape or cord through the paper. The eye 0 may be made of any desired shape, as round or oval, or may be a rectangular slot placed vertically or transversely; or the tape or cord may be held upon the piercer by means of a notch placed in one or both of the sides of the piercer. d is a stripper or spring, which is secured to and well back on the arm or jaw b. Its outer end extends to, and flush with or slightly beyond, the outer edge or side of the piercer a. It has formed in its outer end the notch e, which embraces the piercer. It is so arranged that when the jaws are open it stands with the outer end at rest slightly above the eye 0, or nearly flush with the point of the piercer. Instead of the notch in the end of the stripper or spring, a slot or suitable hole may be made, the spring being made long enough for the purpose. fis the upper arm or jaw.- It is provided with the slot or hole g, through which the piercer passes in the act of puncturing the papers. h is the tape to be used for stitching. It is passed through the eye 0, the shorter end 13 being placed on the left and the longer end It to the right hand side.

In use, the piercer containing the tape is forced through the paper from the under side.

' The tape h is carried by the eye 0 through the papers to the upper side, and the stripper dis forced down by the paper against the lower jaw or arm b. The power being removed, the handles are thrown apart by the spring I, the stripper d forces the paper up to the point of the piercer, and the friction of the paper against the piercer and tape carries the latter up and forms the loop m n with that portion of the tape which had been forced through and appeared above the paper. These loops may be readily grasped and the ends of the tape drawn through to the upper side, when desired.

In stitching papers, I begin, by preference, at the left side, as this gives me better control over the tape and implement. The piercer is forced through. the paper, and the loops m 'n. are formed. I grasp the loop m and draw the end 1 through to the upper side. The implement is then moved to the right and the papers punctured again at the center, and the tape drawn up so as to leave a full loop above after the piercer is removed; A third puncture is made near the right side, and I grasp the loop m, as in both instances before, and pull the end 70 through and entirely out of the eye of the piercer. The ends It and t are then passed through the loop formed at the center, and are drawn so as to tighten the tape, and are tied, and thus is completed the binding.

o is a guard used as a rest for the thumb.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

An implement with two members, one pro vided with. an eye-pointed. needle for thrusting my own, I hereto aflix my signature in presa tape or thread through severjal thlilcknesses ence of two witnesses. of paper or other material, an wit a stripper, and the other having a loop or fork, which 7 CORNELIUS VAN ALSTINE' holds the paper against the thrust and per- Witnesses: mits the needle to pass. J. N. FmKELMEIER,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as l PHILIP SGHUYLER. 

